Caribbean powerhouses battle for KFC Championship today

…President Ali to donate first and second prizes

A figurative Armageddon between two Caribbean giants in the world of school football awaits today, as the final of the KFC Goodwill International Series is contested at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown.
Jamaica’s Clarendon College and Trinidad and Tobago’s St. Benedit’s College will be opposing each other in today’s final for a chance to clinch a $2500 USD prize.
During a pre-final press conference at the title sponsors’ Vlissengen Road Head Office on Thursday, Organizer Troy Mendonca detailed his expectations for tonight’s feature game.

“I always believe, in my years of administration, the two teams that reach to the finals in any tournament of this nature, it’s very unpredictable as to who will be the winner. They might reach there in different style, different results; but two finalists, we would always anticipate a very keen competition. And so I don’t expect anything different, come tomorrow; and I also think that the two teams in the final deserve to be there,” Mendonca expressed.
KFC Marketing Manager Pamella Manasseh, expressing the entity’s satisfaction with how the competition has thus far unfolded, shared, “We, KFC Guyana, are again pleased to have sponsored this event, and look forward to a grand final tomorrow (today). We are extremely happy for the way the organizing has gone so far, and (we are) hoping that the stakeholders can learn from this experience and see where we could do better when given exposure. Good luck to all tomorrow, and may the (better) team win.”

Players Deandrae Gallimore and Jeremiah Joseph, of Clarendon and St. Benedict’s respectively, promised a good showing in this highly-anticipated final.
“I want to thank the organizers, sponsors, for inviting us to Guyana’s competition. I am very thankful and grateful for this experience. For tomorrow’s (today’s) game, I hope it would be competitive, as I think it should be against St. Benedict’s College. Put on a show for the crowd and their fans,” Clarendon’s Gallimore related.
St. Bendict’s Joseph said, “Thus far, the tournament has been a great experience. The boys have been settling very well in Guyana. I just want to thank the sponsors, Petra Organization, for allowing us to come a second year to represent Trinidad and Tobago. I know that the game is going to be very entertaining tomorrow against a great and well-put-together side of Jamaica, Clarendon College.”

Both coaches have shared what a tournament victory would mean to their schools in their respective circumstances.
“If we could win, it would show that the development had take place and we have bring the football up to a certain standard, and we could now come and try and repeat what they have done. But it would also be a historic moment for our college to be able to achieve such a task, and we would really appreciate that,” St. Benedict’s Coach, Randolph Boyce, said in alluding to the last Trinidadian team which won the tournament, Shiva Boys Hindu College, back in its first iteration in 2018.
Jamaican Coach Kemar Foster shared what an international win would mean at this juncture, after picking up two titles in Jamaica over the past few weeks. Foster said, “We won DaCosta Cup and the Olivier Shield. To bring home an international trophy would be great for our school, and also for the country as well. It’s a great booster for the players as well, the Coaching staff, the Management staff. So, it’s a great feeling to bring home this trophy.”
Aside from this expectedly epic final showdown, Guyana’s Chase’s Academic Foundation and Suriname’s VMO 4 will meet in the third-place playoff.
The teams will be rewarded with $2500 USD ($500,000 GYD), $1500 USD ($300,000 GYD), $1000 USD ($200,000 GYD) and $500 USD ($100,000 GYD) for first to fourth respectively.
The tournament is sponsored by KFC Guyana, ExxonMobil, Ansa McAl’s Lucozade brand, Pacaraima Golden Suites and MVP Sports; with support from the Ministries of Education and Culture, Youth and Sport.
Organizers have confirmed that President Dr. Irfaan Ali has committed to sponsoring the first and second prizes for the tournament. The Head of State will reportedly be donating $4000 USD for this purpose. (Jemima Holmes)